image from washingtonpost.com

Gratitude is the key to happiness. And right now, I am beyond grateful for these two in my life.

I make this dip for parties and always get a great response. I thought I’d post the recipe so everyone can make it for their own get-togethers. It’s super easy and very delicious!

Ingredients:
- 2 blocks Philadelphia original cream cheese
- small container Daisy original sour cream
- 2 cans of Macayo’s diced green chilies (4oz each)
- jar of roasted red peppers (I use Mt. Olive brand, found in the condiments aisle by the olives)

Put cream cheese blocks into a large bowl or Pyrex container. Microwave for 1-3 minutes until the cream cheese is soft enough to mix easily.

Put two large scoops of sour cream into bowl. I use just a normal soup spoon. If you want to cut the sharpness of the cream cheese, add more sour cream.

Chop roasted red peppers and add to bowl. I use about the equivalent of one red pepper. Of course, you can always add more.

Open green chilies and add to bowl. Do not drain chilies. The juice will only add to the flavor of the dip.

Mix dip. You want the dip to have a light peach color (from the red pepper juice runoff). Mix until there is no more bright white from the cream cheese and sour cream and the texture is consistent.

Put bowl in the fridge overnight. Resist the urge to eat it right away. Trust me, it will taste much better if it has time to sit and cool properly. Enjoy!

For the health conscious, you can sub low-fat or fat-free cream cheese and sour cream. I do warn you though, that it really doesn’t taste as good.

I distinctly remember one afternoon in Paris when I noticed an amazingly captivating painting through a gallery window. The gallery was closed for a late lunch and I couldn’t see any names or hints as to who the artist was. I shot a photo of it and would go back to it again and again.

Finally, five years later, I discovered who the artist was. Her name is Francoise Nielly; she lives and paints out of Montmartre in Paris. She creates beautifully haunting portraits with swift strokes of her palette knife. I am simply in love with her style and am glad I could finally see the whole scope of her work.

View more at Francoise-Nielly.com

I’ve been seeing a lot of design using the abacus as inspiration. I don’t know how to use one, but I do have a certain affinity for them. Here are some options for incorporating an abacus into your daily life.

Oversized abacus from Pottery Barn - $249

Abacus from CB2 - $149

Abacus necklace from Etsy seller alittlebead - $10
MULA abacus from IKEA - $9.99